Railroad car construction

ABSTRACT

An open top gondola or hopper car construction is provided, the car having a plurality of hinged cover doors which are lifted to permit loading as the car is moved continuously along a track. When the loading of a car is completed, the cover doors are returned to closed position in which they are latched until the car arrives at a discharge station where again, with the car moving, the latch is released and the cover is raised a small amount by springs to permit unloading of the car as the car is rotated in a rotary dumper of known construction.

United States Patent [191 Waterman et a1.

RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION Inventors: Fred W. Waterman, Daly City;Tadeusz Katyll, San Francisco; Colin C. Eldridge, Menlo Park, all ofCalif.

Otter Trail Power Company, Fergus Falls, Minn.

Filed: Jan. 22, 1973 Appl. N0.: 325,632

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1954 Kepner 214/58 7/1965Schwartz, Jr. ct a1. 105/377 [451 Aug. 27, 1974 3,316,858 5/1967 Fritz105/377 3,384,031 5/1968 Dashew et a1 214/42 R Primary Examiner-M.Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Richard A. Bertsch Attorney, Agent,or Firm-Robert H. Eckhoff ABSTRACT An open top gondola or hopper carconstruction is provided, the car having a plurality of hinged coverdoors which are lifted to permit loading as the car is movedcontinuously along a track. When the loading of a car is completed, thecover doors are returned to closed position in which they are latcheduntil the car arrives at a discharge station where again, with the carmoving, the latch is released and the cover is raised a small amount bysprings to permit unloading of the car as the car is rotated in a rotarydumper of known construction.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PAIENTED ma -$1.192

SHEEI 1 0F 4 2 ll U fi w I 6 O /O 3'. am J92 PMENTEM SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG--4- PATENIED ausz 1 m4 sum u or 4 RAILROAD CAR CONSTRUCTION BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION Heretofore most covered rail cars were loaded throughholes in the covers and unloaded by being either tilted or throughassorted bottom discharge systems. Such systems are not suitable forloading a car without stopping the fil'llire train. The presentinvention makes it possible to load a train of cars without stopping thetrain and to close adequately both loaded and empty cars to weatherconditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main purpose of this invention is toprovide for automatic opening and closing of roof segments on top of amoving rail car during loading and unloading operations.

Additionally, this invention allows the use of roof segments on top of arail car which prevents rain and snow from entering the car to freezeand cause unloading difficulties. In addition, the roof segments preventdust from blowing out of the car.

Another object of this invention is to eliminate the need for manualopening and closing of roof segments during loading operations andobviate resulting schedule delays.

Still another purpose of this invention is a system which will allowcars to be emptied by a rotary car dumper.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent upon anunderstanding of the following description of the preferred embodimentof the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing agondola car having several covers each of which is raised to permitloading while the car is moved along a track.

FIG. 2 comprises three front views of a rail car showing the cover beingmoved from a closed position to an open position for loading, thesebeing respectively designated as A, B and C.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing how a latch holding the cover in closedposition is released.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of the car showing the latchstructure.

FIG. 5 is a section taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5, showing thelatch mechanism and means for releasing the latch.

FIG. 7 is a view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 4 showing the mastwhich is attached to the top of the cover and its relation to the spacedrails for effecting movement of the cover.

FIG. 8 is a section taken along the line 8-8 in FIG. 3 showing the hingefor the cover.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the relation between the spaced rails formoving the cover from closed to open position and the relation of theseto the railroad track.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the spaced rails which effect themovement of the cover and the supports for the rails.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show only that portion of the rails which effect themovement of the cover from closed to open position, the rails continueso that the cover is moved from open to closed position, in this sectionthe rails being a mirror image of the showings of FIGS. 9 and 10. Inthese views, the overall length of the scroll rails 60 and has beencompressed by approximately one-fourth to facilitate showing of thesefigures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, I haveshown railroad track 20 and 21 with a gondola car 22 being moved alongthe track continuously. In practice a group of cars are attachedtogether by coupling means 23 at each end of the cars to make up a trainwhich is moved past the loading chute 24 which discharges a fluent solidmaterial from a hopper (not shown).

The car shown in FIG. 1 has five roof segments but more or less thanthis number can be utilized. Each cover 27 is hinged by two hinges,generally indicated at 28, provided adjacent opposite ends of each coverand on one side of the car. Details of the hinge are shown in FIG. 8.

Each cover is maintained in a closed position during transit of thetrain by a latch, generally indicated at 31, including a recessed member32 engaged with a rod 33 extending between spaced ears 34 attached to anangle iron 36 fastened to the upper outer edge of the car. Latch 31 issupported for pivotal movement on pin 37 extending between ears 38attached to the underside of the angle iron 36. The latch includes adepending portion 39 which is engaged with a leaf spring 41 secured tothe side of the car and which urges the latch member into latchingposition. The extending end 42 of the latch member is engaged with ahorizontally extending release member 43 which is suitably supportedfrom an inverted U-shaped frame 72A extending over the track 20 on eachside thereof and adjacent the side of the car adjacent to a firstposition 51 to move the latch counterclockwise in FIG. 6 and so releasethe latch. Several spring means 35 are provided (FIGS. 5 and 6) so that,upon the release of the latch, the cover moves upward and is free of thelatch.

To effect the lifting of each cover from a position in which the coveris closed to a position in which the cover is in an open position, Iprovide a mast, generally indicated at 61, on each cover, the mastincluding a base member 62 attached to the cover and having an arcuatelyformed portion 63 extending upwardly and terminating in a roller support64 which extends horizontally. Roller 66 is mounted on the rollersupport 64 on bearings 67.

To effect the movement of the cover, I provide in suitable relation tothe track 21 a pair of scroll rails 60 and 65 which the roller 66engages to the spaced rails at position 51 whereat the spaced rails arein a position substantially over track 20. The rails are supported by aseries of spaced supports 72 and which are provided in such relation totracks 20 and 21 that movement of the cover by the spaced rails iseffected as the train traverses the tracks 20 and 21. Thus the spacedrails extend over the track from the first position 61 in which therails extend parallel to the track and are spaced apart vertically. Therails curve away from the track as at the second position 52 to a thirdposition 53 in which the rails extend parallel to the track. The railschange their spaced relationship between the second position and thethird position from one in which the rails are spaced apart verticallyto one in which the rails are spaced apart horizontally. This changingin the relation of the rails is shown in FIGS. 2A, B and C.

The rails extend from the third position 53 to a fourth position 54corresponding to the location of the chute 2 for filling up each car asit moves along tracks and 21. Beyond the fourth position, the tracks areprovided in a mirror image of the track between the first and the fourthpositions so that each cover is gradually lowered and is released todrop into a position in which the latch 31 is engaged by the rod 33 andthe cover is secured in latched position so that the contents of the carare protected against wind, rain and snow during movement of the trainto a point whereat the contents of the car are discharged.

We claim:

I. Means for effecting loading of a material into a rail car as the caris moved continuously over a track section past a chute discharging thematerial into the car, a cover on the car hinged along one side thereofto one side of the car, a latch on the other side of the cover and carfor holding the cover in closed position over the car, latch engagingmeans positioned along side of the track adjacent the path of movementof said other side of the car for engaging and releasing the latch asthe car moves therepast, means for raising the cover to a position inwhich the top of the car is exposed for filling of the car with thematerial, the raising means including an upright mast secured at a lowerend thereof to the cover adjacent said other side thereof and extendingupwardly from the cover and having a rail engaging member at an upperend thereof extending substantially parallel to the plane of the cover,and rail means supported adjacent the path of travel of the car in aposition for engaging the underside of the member and pulling the memberupwardly and away from the car first to pull the cover from a closedposition to an open position to permit filling of the car as the cartraverses the track and for thereafter lowering the cover from its openposition to a closed position in which position the cover is retained bythe latch.

2. In the means of claim I wherein the rail means comprises a pair ofspaced rails which extend over the track section from a first positionin which the rails extend parallel to the track and are spaced apartvertically to a second position from which the rails curve away from thetrack to a third position in which the rails extend parallel to thetrack, the rails changing their relationship between the second positionand the third position from one in which the rails are spaced apartvertically to one in which the rails are spaced apart horizontally.

3. In the means of claim 2 wherein the rails extend from the thirdposition to a fourth position spaced along the track from the thirdposition, the chute for discharge of the material being at the fourthposition.

4. In the means of claim 3 wherein the rails beyond the fourth positionare provided in a mirror image position of the rail positions betweenthe first and fourth positions.

5. In the means of claim 4 wherein the rails beyond the fourth positionterminate at a point in advance of that position wherein the car is inclosed position to permit the cover to fall into closed position toengage the latch.

6. In the means of claim ll, wherein the mast includes a base secured toan upper surface of the cover and extending substantially perpendicularto the cover, an inclined midportion extending angularly upwardly fromthe base, and said member connected to the upper end of the inclinedmidportion.

7. In the means of claim 6, wherein the member comprises a rollermounted for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to the planeof the cover.

8. In the means of claim I, wherein there are a plurality of covers oneach car, each cover constructed to cover only a portion of the lengthof the open top of the car, said plurality of covers arranged end-to-endfrom one end of the car to the other end thereof and adapted toselectively expose and cover substantially the entire Patent 3,831,792Dated August 27, 1974 Fred W. Waterman et a1 Inventor(s) It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

I The assignee sliould read 1 Otter Tail Power Company 6.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of November 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCQY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSIjALL DANN Attesting Officer commissloner ofPatents FORM 20-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-5 69 uvsaovznnuzmramtmuornc:1 3594,30

1. Means for effecting loading of a material into a rail car as the caris moved continuously over a track section past a chute discharging thematerial into the car, a cover on the car hinged along one side thereofto one side of the car, a latch on the other side of the cover and carfor holding the cover in closed position over the car, latch engagingmeans positioned along side of the track adjacent the path of movementof said other side of the car for engaging and releasing the latch asthe car moves therepast, means for raising the cover to a position inwhich the top of the car is exposed for filling of the car with thematerial, the raising means including an upright mast secured at a lowerend thereof to the cover adjacent said other side thereof and extendingupwardly from the cover and having a rail engaging member at an upperend thereof extending substantially parallel to the plane of the cover,and rail means supported adjacent the path of travel of the car in aposition for engaging the underside of the member and pulling the memberupwardly and away from the car first to pull the cover from a closedposition to an open position to permit filling of the car as the cartraverses the track and for thereafter lowering the cover from its openposition to a closed position in which position the cover is retained bythe latch.
 2. In the means of claim 1 wherein the rail means comprises apair of spaced rails which extend over the track section from a firstposition in which the rails extend parallel to the track and are spacedapart vertically to a second position from which the rails curve awayfrom the track to a third position in which the rails extend parallel tothe track, the rails changing their relationship between the secondposition and the third position from one in which the rails are spacedapart vertically to one in which the rails are spaced aparthorizontally.
 3. In the means of claim 2 wherein the rails extend fromthe third position to a fourth position spaced along the track from thethird position, the chute for discharge of the material being at thefourth position.
 4. In the means of claim 3 wherein the rails beyond thefourth position are provided in a mirror image position of the railpositions between the first and fourth positions.
 5. In the means ofclaim 4 wherein the rails beyond the fourth position terminate at apoint in advance of that position wherein the car is in closed positionto permit the cover to fall into closed position to engage the latch. 6.In the means of claim 1, wherein the mast includes a base secured to anupper surface of the cover and extending substantially perpendicular tothe cover, an inclined midportion extending angularly upwardly from thebase, and said member connected to the upper end of the inclinedmidportion.
 7. In the means of claim 6, wherein the member comprises aroller mounted for rotation about an axis substantially parallel to theplane of the cover.
 8. In the means of claim 1, wherein there are aplurality of covers on each car, each cover constructed to cover only aportion of the length of the open top of the car, said plurality ofcovers arranged end-to-end from one end of the car to the other endthereof and adapted to selectively expose and cover substantially theentire open top of the car.